Los Angeles: Hollywood actor Tom Cruise was reportedly surprised when he found out that his ancestors controlled the majority of Dublin, the capital of Ireland.

The actor was presented with a certificate of Irish roots by the country's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore earlier this month.

The 50-year-old learned his relatives can be traced back to the 9th century after two female fans researched his family lineage as a gift to their idol, reports a website.

Speaking on "Jimmy Kimmel Live", Cruise said: "I had no idea it went back that far." According to the sources, Cruise revealed his family once owned a town called Hollywood in County Wicklow and one of his elders was known as a famine hero when they returned to Ireland from New York to save people from being evicted from their homes. They also had a lot of control over the capital city of Ireland.

During his trip to Ireland the actor was surprised to find out more about his ancestors. "To learn about the history of my family - it was incredible," he said.

"I knew I was Irish, but I had no idea where it went and the depth of it. It's a great honour for me and for my whole family. I can't wait to bring it back to them and enlighten them on their history," he added.